Leg pain and foot numbness

[ErinKC]

I'm going through the wringer right now. My anxiety was already peaking before I got Covid and this past week has just been rough. I'm through Covid (tested negative yesterday) but since yesterday morning I've been having pain radiating down my legs and intermittent numbness in my left foot, calf, ankle.

Now, I've had random numb moments over the years, but this is a lot more constant. My rational mind is saying maybe all the laying around in bed for the last week has irritated my back/sciatic nerve, etc... and that's the issue. But my anxiety mind is worried it has something to do with Covid or the Paxlovid I was taking. The pain goes down my legs when i look down (like I'm very stiff), so it's radiating straight down my body. And then numbness flares on an off at random times - but very frequently. There's a bit of tingling on the bottom of my left foot that doesn't really go away.

Somewhat unrelated - for the last several weeks - maybe a month - I've randomly been getting a numb spot only on the tip of my left ring finger. I have cubital tunnel issues on my right side, and this is nothing like that. It's just one small spot on the tip of that one finger that just goes numb.

Does anyone have any insight? I have my annual check up with my doctor in three weeks so I was going to bring up the finger thing then (that will stop for like a week at a time and then come back).

[BlueIris]

No real insight, but after I had covid I felt weird for ages - about a month.

[pulisa]

So what disease are you fearing, Erin? Bearing in mind that you are talking about worries pre-Covid?

[Catkins]

After my last bought of Covid (May), I would wake up with aching hips and knees and it would tail off as the day went on. Not 100% sure it was related to Covid but I think it probably was. It faded over time.

[ErinKC]

After my last bought of Covid (May), I would wake up with aching hips and knees and it would tail off as the day went on. Not 100% sure it was related to Covid but I think it probably was. It faded over time.

This sounds really similar. The pain does tend to go as the day goes. Right now I’m standing in my kitchen and my knee and the bottom of my foot is tingling. I the top of the foot seems to have stopped.

Pulsia - nothing specific in mind. It was just a really stressful week leading to Covid with appliances breaking, finding leaked in the house, worrying about money and repairs, etc. I was nervous about mold in the house and then I started getting sick. For a minute Covid was a relief. Then the Paxlovid gave me a lot of anxiety because it leaves this horrible taste in your mouth the whole time. And it can be rough on the liver and kidneys. So I just felt on edge the whole time I took it. Now I worry about lasting Covid issues. I know some people get lasting nerve issues. But it’s really more a general anxiety of something - anything - bad happening.

[pulisa]

I think that you are feeling the effects of anxiety overload and these sensations are the result of an overworked and oversensitive nervous system? It's very common to get tingling/numbness with anxiety which mimics feared illnesses.

You've had a rough few weeks so it's not surprising that you fear what will come next..but hopefully you've had your fair share of worries and will now be able to take time to get stronger after covid now? Stronger mentally and physically. Try not to focus on lasting covid issues. Try and stop yourself from researching stuff which frightens you but which isn't actually a reality?

[ErinKC]

thanks, pulsia!

I am definitely trying to tell myself that at least part of this I anxiety. I know that anxiety has definitely caused me tingling and numbness before. My mind and body have definitely been over stressed. I’m looking forward to any annual doctor visit. My doctor just switched to a concierge service (I’m sure this is very US specific - smaller patient load, annual fee, more personal attention). I’ll get all the blood work and like every test and then a 1.5 hour one on one appointment to go over everything. I’m happy this is right after Covid because it will help me see if there are any lingering items to be addressed. But most likely it will show me all is well.